


The Shortest End of the Stick

by DoctorMoney, Gold_Shadow



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2019-07-12 22:09:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16004300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorMoney/pseuds/DoctorMoney, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gold_Shadow/pseuds/Gold_Shadow
Summary: Anteiku. The seemly ordinary café lying in the midst of the 20th ward attracts a large variety of customers; from ghoul terrorists to CCG investigators. In a world where ghouls and humans are able to coexist, the dimwitted Commission of Counter Ghoul focuses all its resources on destroying the sprawling Aogiri Tree, but without any luck. Aogiri Tree member Hideyoshi Nagachika is sent to infiltrate the café and turn it into an information transmission centre for the organization.





	1. Agent Nagachika

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [地下交通站](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/412380) by 英达. 



> Reposted after a slight chapter mixup. Hope it's less confusing this time around!

“Founder, Tatara," greeted Ayato.

“Growing eyes on the back of your head now, Kirishima?”

Eto invited herself to sit in a leaned position by a wooden table, walking as Ayato didn't even turn around to look at them yet.

The three were in a moderately decorated room in the 11th ward base, with several maps of the wards of Tokyo hanging around the room. Ayato was standing hunched over by the same wooden table, looking at the map of the 20th ward, which had several pen markings spread across the city. A large circle that was traced several times surrounded a large cafe-restaurant complex, with “Anteiku” written underneath.

“It’s required for the job,” answered Ayato, “I can also tell that neither of you slept a lot last night."

He bowed his head in a respectful gesture, sitting down after a curt nod from Tatara.

“You’re wrong about that. We didn’t even sleep at all,” corrected Tatara.

“Are you here about the arrangement? I’m taking away an important agent from your executives and sending him to the 20th ward, and you're not happy?"

Ayato subconsciously twitched his fingers in anticipation, unable to get any hints from Tatara's impassive face. Eto's mood never depended on her face, and it never conveyed her emotions well, much to Ayato's displeasure.

“No, it’s not that. As long as he’s making himself useful, it doesn’t matter where you put him. Only thing is that I did like having him around… He’s probably the most interesting one I’ve seen in a veeery long time,” explained Eto, head tilted in thought.

“Hideyoshi Nagachika reporting in for duty!”

As if on cue, a voice suddenly sounded from behind the thick metal door leading outside. It opened to reveal a cloaked figure wearing a henohenomoheji mask over his face, already annoying Ayato.

"What are you wearing?"

"Easier to disguise myself this way."

He flung his mask on a nearby coat rack and sighed with relief after being able to breathe normally again.

“So energetic already,” noted Eto.

“Kirishima, this one is-”

“Don’t bother. I know more about him than you two do." Ayato gave Hide a look of familiarity, looking none too happy to see him again.

“You’re getting cheekier. How old was he when he joined Aogiri Tree?”.

“16,” drawled Ayato.

“14.”

“What?”

“He gave two extra years because he was afraid that we wouldn’t take him. We intended on killing him for his treachery, but it was the same day that he helped us avoid a CCG raid,” elaborated Tatara.

Hide merely flashed them a sheepish grin, scratching his head in a nervous gesture.

“And Nagachika, this one is-”

“-Ayato Kirishima, known as the Black Rabbit by the CCG. Aogiri Tree Executive.'

“Aren’t you a sharp one?” murmured Eto.

“As this isn’t our first time meeting, I won’t bother you with the formalities. Let’s talk about my mission,” stated Hide, sitting down and producing a map from his coat pocket.

“We will be conducting a raid on the 11th Ward Branch Office Building tomorrow night. Among the chaos, you will disguise yourself as a fleeing human. You will arrive at Anteiku in 5 days, and Kirishima will contact you through another identity. This operation will only stay between the few of us to ensure utmost secrecy for the information transmission center to work as planned. You already have prior knowledge to the location, I assume,” briefed Tatara.

“The 20th ward, also known as the Nerima ward in Tokyo. Known to be docile by the other ghouls. No investigator has died in the ward for over 10 years, attributed to Anteiku. A large restaurant and cafe with a few rental rooms on the second floor, secretly providing food to ghouls in need by taking meat from dead bodies. The CCG occasionally delivers food to them after the agreement, but they aren’t allowed to be seen hunting by anyone. After Haise Sasaki regained some of his memories, he told the CCG about our whereabouts in the 20th ward, causing a large number of investigators to be deployed to the area."

* * *

_Several figures wearing a black suit, blue tie, and dress pants walked down a busy street in the 20th ward. The pedestrians hurriedly moved out of the way and gave the group a wide berth, clearly intimidated by their presence._

* * *

"That is exactly why we're focusing our efforts there. Anteiku's not too far from the Branch Office, and the most dangerous place is the safest place," interjected Tatara. "What about Anteiku?"

"Anteiku's well known for its delicious coffee and wide meal varieties. They're also known for being a large ghoul charity and have a secret basement storage area where they keep the human meat deliveries."

* * *

_A slender teenage girl with black hair walked through the wooden door of the large restaurant, reading a newspaper. She had long bangs that reached her chin, covering the right side of her face. She wore a white shirt rolled up to her elbows, a black vest and red tie on top, and a black skirt down to her lower thighs. A slim young man with hazelnut hair and glasses snored at the front counter, burying his face in both of his arms. He also wore a white shirt and a black vest over, along with a black tie and black pants. Touka nearly tripped over him when she absentmindedly went to the counter, angrily waking him up with a hard smack of a rolled up newspaper._

_"Huh? Wha?"_

_Nishiki immediately sprang up and revealed his blue tail-like kagune, eyes scanning the area for any potential threats._ _His gaze rested on her, and he gave a slight sigh in relief before preparing to sit back down._

_"Hey! Why are you lazing about again Nishiki? What if the customers see you?"_

_"Don't worry about that_ _Touka-"_

_"Hmm?"_

_" **-manager**. There aren't any customers in the first place."_

_"Then go sweep the bathrooms. Make yourself useful."_

_Touka shoved a mop in his hands and sent him off with a stern glare, sitting down in his spot to continue reading after he left._

* * *

"The assistant manager is Touka Kirishima, Ayato's older sister. Used to be extremely rash but learned to be incredibly careful around the Doves recently. On the inside, she hates the CCG with all her heart. On the outside..." Hide handed Ayato a picture of Touka and a tall, powerful man with swept back black and white hair, standing over Touka. His eyes looked to be closed and he wore the formal Anteiku waiter uniform.

He couldn't help but notice that Ayato's gaze lingered for a second before he passed it onto Tatara, who immediately gave it to Eto without looking.

* * *

_"Uh oh. Be right back," excused Touka, leaving her customer to hurriedly run to the door and open it, putting up a welcoming smile for the new arrivals._

_Three of the previous suited businessmen-like figures walked through the door, nodding a welcome towards the young waitress. Touka led them to a reserved dining area, making sure to open the door for the three again._

* * *

"...she doesn't want to cause trouble for Mr. Yoshimura or the ghouls in the 20th ward," finished Hide, looking at his bosses for approval.

"Continue," instructed Tatara.

"And then there's Nishiki Nishio. He's another waiter at Anteiku, known for being incredibly outspoken and rude. He hates the CCG just as much as Touka, except with even less restraint when it comes to talking."

* * *

_"Nishiki. I assume that coffee beans are free these days?" wondered Touka._

_"They are?"_

_"Are what? Are you stupid? You know how hard it is to get good coffee these days. Why did it taste so bitter today?"_

_"I'm not in the mood for making them good coffee today," said Nishiki._

_"Who's them?" asked Touka, meaningfully tilting her head in the direction of the reserved dining room._

_"The Doves, obviously."_

_"SHHH! Are you crazy? If you say one more word..." Touka raised her fist in warning, dragging the waiter away from the dining area._

_"You want to take me to Cochlea? Go ahead then! Let's go!"_

* * *

"That Nishiki. I thought that no one could be as stupid at Touka," insulted Ayato, shaking his head as he passed on the picture.

"Let's see how much you know about Kuzen," ordered Eto.

"Mr. Yoshimura? While he's almost 60, he still makes sure to frequently train and preserve his strength to protect Anteiku. His hearing's degraded over the years, but his anger towards the CCG's never subsided."

* * *

_"Senior manager! Up early?" greeted a large investigator with a bodyguard build, leaving his room and watching Yoshimura diligently sweeping the floor._

_"I know you think you're burly, but why can't you use that strength on something other than oppressing ghouls?" demanded Yoshimura._

* * *

A giant-like ghoul suddenly walked into the room, purposefully walking over to the ground and leaning down to whisper something in Eto's ear. He had long black hair tied into a ponytail and wore a white mask with large lips over a large mouth with equally large teeth.

"Oh dear. I'll be back. You keep talking." With that, Eto immediately jumped up and ran outside with the ghoul, barely having enough time to shut the door.

"Now, the Doves. Tsuneyoshi Washuu is the highest ranking CCG member, known as Chairman Washuu. He only comes into contact with a few Special Class Investigators and is almost always seen in his office, acting more as a figurehead than someone who holds actual power. He occasionally visits each ward, stopping by the 20th ward to visit his third son. Because of his unwillingness to talk to anyone directly, he assigned his son, Yoshitoki Washuu, to be the Bureau Director Advisor and someone who would convey his messages to the rest of the CCG. His second son is known as Kishou Arima, the White Reaper of the CCG and a Special Class Investigator with countless blood on his hands. He is the 20th ward's Branch Director and oversees all the day-to-day operations that occur."

* * *

_"Father wants to know how the raid went," relayed Yoshitoki, stepping out of the expensively-decorated office and shutting the wooden door behind him._

_Yoshitoki was a middle-aged man with wavy black hair and a faded goatee around his mouth and chin. He wore the standard CCG uniform: a suit, tie, dress pants, and dress shoes._

_A tall man with a pronounced figure stood a metre away from the door, back hunched over in a continuous bow. He had snow white hair and a pair of gray eyes that were turned downwards and staring at the wooden floor. His face wore a calm apathetic expression that gave an aura of authority around him, although it was hidden from view because of his bow. Kishou wore the standard CCG uniform, in addition to a knee-length white coat._

_"We suffered high casualties in the raid. Ten investigators were injured, four bureau investigators are in critical condition, and we didn't manage to recover anything useful from the address," answered Kishou, enunciating his words properly._

_Yoshitoki hesitantly stepped into the office, and several angry shouts were heard immediately after. He returned in a minute, opening his mouth to recite the Chairman's response.  
_

_"No need. I can tell that it was cursing."_

_"Father also said that he is hungry again."_

_Four women exited the office and continued to walk outside the room, carrying empty and stainless plates._

* * *

"Four females cater to his every need in his free time, and they are collectively known as wombs. Each of them are a mother to one of his children. Because of his growing age, he has delegated most of his responsibilities to Kaiko and Kichimura Washuu."

"Who are they anyway?" interrupted Hide.

"Kaiko is known as the Division Director of Division III, or  _Vatsuki_. He also has a personal advisor named Shiki Kijima, a ruthless and greedy Dove. No one knows what they do except a few select members of the Washuu Clan. Kichimura Washuu, also known as Nimura Furuta, or Souta Washuu-Furuta is the Bureau Chief of the CCG. He has chosen to reside in the 20th ward for reasons unknown, other than to 'look for someone,' as he stated. He has publicly stated that he is a half-ghoul himself to try to convince people that the CCG are welcoming, and he is very experienced with using his own kagune."

* * *

_"Are those coffee beans? Do they taste good?" asked Furuta, holding up a pack in front of a market vendor._

_Furuta was wearing a black suit over a checkered shirt, dress pants, and a clown mask that hid his entire face. He had dark, medium-length black hair that was parted on his right, normally well-combed but especially messy today._

_"Bureau Chief! These coffee beans taste horrible," the vendor answered, bowing to the figure in front of him in fear._

_"Hmm?"  
_

_"I meant to say that it might not be the taste you enjoy. It's more suited for...full ghouls."_

_"No no, it's completely fine~~ By the way, how did you know that I was the Bureau Chief?" asked Furuta, peering forward behind his mask._

_"You? Someone as...._ **_famous_ ** _as you can be recognized in anything," reassured the vendor, looking more nervous by the second._

_"Ohhh, I see. How much are these?"_

_"These? Oh no no no no no sir, you can just take what you want!"_

_"No, I should p-"  
_

_"I wouldn't dare to make an investigator pay-"_

_"I really should-"  
_

_"Most of the other investigators just take what they want from us lowly ghouls," tried the vendor, desperately shoving packs of coffee beans into the clown's hands._

_"No no, I **insist** on paying." _

_"Nimura Furuta. What are you doing here? You're missing an important meeting in the Branch Office," a voice called out, causing Furuta to quickly turn around and address the person._

_The source of the voice belonged to a man dressed in all black and wearing a hat and bow tie. He had an urgent look on his face and a newly-acquired red imprint on the left side of his cheek. He had an extremely strange appearance with several discolored skin graft patches and heavy scarring, as well as a peg leg substituting his right leg._

_"Oh, what a bore~ Can't it wait Kijima~?"_

_"Director Kaiko's in a rage again."_

_"Uh oh~" realized Furuta, running off in a direction with the coffee beans, forgetting to pay the disgruntled vendor._

_"They're all the same," the vendor muttered._

* * *

"Wait. I heard about another major group in the CCG in the 20th ward? A Quinx Squad?" wondered Hide.

"Correct. The Quinx Squad are a newly formed CCG investigator group that are tasked with maintaining order in the 20th ward. Their leader is Haise Sasaki, a former half-ghoul who lost his memories of his previous life and is completely devoted to the CCG. In his previous identity, he was apparently very familiar with the 20th ward, which is why they sent him there. He enjoys abusing his authority all throughout the ward and works directly under the Bureau Chief," described Tatara.

For a split second, Tatara could have sworn that he saw Hide's face contort with passionate fury

* * *

_A young investigator leaned forward on his chair in Anteiku, eyes peering at the visibly uncomfortable customer eating in front of him. He wore a black dress shirt and pinstripe pants with a knee-length white trench coat and had white hair with black streaks. When the customer reached out for a biscuit, the investigator casually stole it from the plate and continued to stare at the customer, who gave an exasperated sigh and stood up. When Haise turned his head to observe the customer, he quickly shoved a bill in Nishiki's hand and ran off, much to the annoyance of Haise._

_"You get back here right now!"_

_"Investigator Sasaki, let's not be so hasty. He's one of our regulars and a loyal citizen of Japan. Why not let him off the hook?" Nishiki forced his disgusted look into a smile._

_"I'll take you to Arima's office next time I see you, ghoul! That'll teach you who's in charge!"_

* * *

"That Dove is...one of a kind. Worst than his master at any rate," commented Ayato.

"I'm very sorry Tatara..."

Eto spoke out, startling the other three with her sudden appearance.

"...what happened."

"I tried everything that I could, but we just couldn't...get your favorite kind of coffee." Eto grinned impishly at her previously-worried subordinate, who quickly masked his relief with a stoic face and 

"Coffee? Don't worry about that. I can go hungry for a few days if I need to."

"Then...we'll have a light snack of another package for lunch. Just treat yourself to it as if it was your feeding time," elaborated Eto.

"That's  _light_?" asked Ayato.

"That's nothing. We have coffee daily at the 20th ward. When the battle's over, I'll personally make a batch and treat you?" offered Hide, grinning at the other members.

"Deal," said Ayato.

"Where were we again?" asked Eto.

"It's time to talk about  _King_ ," responded Tatara.

He instinctively bowed his head as a sign of respect, and Hide immediately turned his head to face him in excitement.

"The One-Eyed King?" asked Hide.

"The King is known for being a master of disguise, and only the Founder knows his true identity."

* * *

_"The One-Eyed King again? It's that one again?!"_

_Furuta slammed the paper report on his table, standing up from his desk in outrage._

_This time he was wearing a black overcoat over his suit with a bow tie, as well as dark-colored gloves. His face was completely unobscured, and a distinctive mole laid under his right eye._

_"You're right, Bureau Chief! It had to be him!" agreed Haise._

_He obliviously smiled at his furious boss despite the circumstances._

_"At this rate I'll die of confusion before I find out who he is! Is it the Owl? Someone else? Who?"_

_"No no don't die Bureau Chief. I already have a picture of his face. If we put up wanted posters and offer a large reward, someone will catch him soon!" declared Haise._

_He immediately produced a picture of a white haired figure wearing a mask that rendered even his eyes unrecognizable and eagerly showed it to his unamused boss._

_"Idiot! How will anyone know who that is?" scolded Furuta, taking the poster and tearing it up._

* * *

_A waiter led a CCG investigator into the reserved area of a restaurant, where a powerful figure was already seated._

_"Investigator, that's the one," the waiter said while backing out of the room._

_"I don't think I know you."_

_"You'll know me today, won't you?"_

_The figure turned his head to face him and spoke with an even tone, unsettling the investigator. He seemed to recall a wanted poster he walked past on the streets the other day, and his eyebrows shot up in surprise._

_"You-"_

_"I am the One-Eyed King."_

_"One-Eyed-!"_

_"Are you going to draw your quinque?"_

_"Yes- I mean...n-no s-sir!"_

_"We'll see who's faster if you do."_

_"I-I know that s-sir's going to be f-faster at k-killing! A-all of us Doves k-know that!"_

_The investigator threw his briefcase on the ground in surrender and put his hands up in the air._

_"You were smarter than the last one."_

* * *

"With the One-Eyed King helping me with the mission...well, I'll feel much better about it!" proclaimed Hide, laughing at the anecdote.

Eto solemnly stood up, the other three following suit.

"I wish you the best of luck on your mission, Nagachika. May you help Aogiri Tree win the war in the end...or  _die trying_."

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

_Knock knock knock!_

"Who could be here at this time?" wondered Touka, standing up and making her way to the room.

"Welcome to Anteiku! How may I help you sir?"

A young man stood outside the café, struggling to pull a large green suitcase and being forced into a hunched position by a overflowing yellow backpack. He had long, messy dirty blonde hair tucked under a red and white cap with a pair of headphones wrapped around his neck. He also wore a light-blue jacket with black pants and yellow shoes.

"Would you like help with that?" offered Touka.

"No, I...oof...I got it!" 

He spent another minute forcing the suitcase through the doors and collapsed onto a nearby table when he was done, beginning to annoy Touka.

"Sir,  _what would you like today_ _?_ "

"Touka! Nice to see you again!"

"How do you know my name?"

Touka blinked in surprise and cast the man a suspicious look as she searched his face.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Hide! Hideyoshi Nagachika. Don't you know me?"

"Hide who?"

"Kaneki's old best friend! I used to come here all the time for coffee. Learned a bit from Mr. Yoshimura himself?"

"Hide? What are you doing back here?"

Despite her surprise, Touka still managed to give a friendly smile after finally recognizing him.

"I'd like to see the manager? It is still Mr. Yoshimura right?"

"Yeah. I'll show you where he is."

A beaming Touka Kirishima led Hide into the moisture-filled kitchen a few steps away, where Yoshimura washed a stack of dishes with an experienced hand. He didn't seem to realize their presence and continued swabbing at a plate with a sponge.

"Mr. Yoshimura! Look who's back!" shouted Touka, pushing Hide forward and gesturing at him.

"Touka Kirishima! Our business is getting worse every day. How can you afford to hire more outsiders?" scolded Yoshimura.

He turned off the sink and gave his plate one last wipe before tucking it into a plate holder.

"Outsiders? No, that's Hide!" said Touka.

"Even if he did come today, we can't afford him!"

"What? Okay, you go tell him."

"Mr. Yoshimura, it's me! Don't you recognize me? You taught me how to make coffee a long time ago!"

"Hide? It really is you! Last time I remember seeing you, you were still trying to figure out how to brew coffee in one of our machines. It's been thirty years since I last saw you," chuckled Yoshimura, patting the blond on the shoulder.

"Um...Hide's not even 20."

"What brings you back?" asked Yoshimura.

"Well...I was wondering if you could let me have a job here?"


	2. Renovations

The door to an old employee room creaked open, revealing an impatient waitress carrying a green bag outside. She took a slight look around and threw the bag on the bare mattress on the bed. A thin layer of dust covered nearly every inch of the room, and there was an obvious crack behind the frame of the bed that led to a small space between the walls. An empty bookshelf was located in front of the bed and pressed against the wall. A nightstand sat beside the head of a bed and hid a wall socket, although its drawers were cleared out years ago.

"You're lucky, you know that? If it wasn't for the fact that you grew up in the 20th ward, Mr. Yoshimura wouldn't be giving you a free room on the second floor."

Hide appeared at the entrance shortly after, struggling with his luggage and stumbling into the room.

"This is where you'll live from now on. The other rooms along this side are ours, and the rooms on the other side are for customers. Your room is your responsibility. If anything breaks, replace it with your own salary. Clean it yourself. No one's going to help you with that.”

Touka rolled her eyes as she helped Hide set down the suitcase.

"Wow. I really am bothering everyone by coming here, huh?" joked Hide.

"Stop unpacking so much. Grab a bite!”

Another waiter walked inside the room with a tray of food and led a bored looking Nishiki.

He wore the same uniform as Nishiki with a black bow tie under his neck and had a bulbous nose with brown hair styled into a pompadour.

"Nishiki even spent money on his favorite type of coffee to serve to you."

"Why are we eating now? Isn't it dinner time? If you're here with me, won't that affect our business?" Hide hesitantly looked at the cup of coffee and plain plates of food.

"Don't worry about that. We don't have any customers in the first place," muttered Touka.

"No customers? But...I thought that Anteiku was well known for its business in the past..."

" _Sigh_. Ever since the stupid Doves cam-"

"Wait. I'm more familiar with the term 'CCG.'"

"Suck up. Never mind. Why don't you just eat?" Touka handed him the coffee and dismissed Koma with a hand gesture.

Hide slowly brought the coffee up to his lips, making sure to inhale the scene before drinking. When he took a gulp, his face suddenly sported a strange look and he quickly put the cup down.

"Why is this coffee so...cold?"

Nishiki's face turned sour at his complaint.

"I did leave it out for a few minutes, but it shouldn't-"

"No, I mean it tastes like you got it from a store."

"When we're low on coffee, sometimes I substitute it with store bought Blondy Coffee," said Nishiki.

"How can you do that? Isn't that ruining the taste?"

"What are you talking about?"

"But I'm just an outsider, so just pretend I didn't say anything," quickly added Hide, sitting down after noticing how the two stared him down.

"I'm not an expert at making coffee. It might not be the best. Try the food."

Hide slowly took a bite of the rice on his plate and immediately grimaced, although he quickly tried to hide it.

"Er....Mr. Nishio, how experienced are you at making human food?" asked Hide.

" _Idiot. Nishiki's never going to let you go for that one."_

Nishiki stood up and took the tray of food away without a single word, nearly bumping into Yoshimura in the doorway. 

"Nishiki? Have you eaten yet?" asked Yoshimura.

"I'm full." Nishiki stormed out of the room in his irritation, although Yoshimura didn't seem to notice the drama at all.

* * *

An investigator wearing a blue version of the standard CCG uniform sat by a table in Anteiku, happily eating his lunch.

"Coming! Two cups of coffee with sugar!" announced Hide, setting the cups down in front of the investigator.

"With sugar? I didn't order sugar." The investigator's confused look quickly melted when the breeze blew the fragrant scent at his nose and was replaced with a content smile.

"Yeah, but I added the sugar for you."

"You added sugar just for me? Now I'll feel bad," grinned the investigator, not looking guilty at all as he downed a cup.

"It's nothing. Let's be friends. We'll still have to rely on investigators like you for our business!"

* * *

"That stupid blond head always has some problem with my food. It's too cold, that's too hot, no flavor, no salt!" ranted Nishiki, angrily pacing in the break room and being watched by an uncaring Touka.

"Your cooking's sucked for years. It's just that no one told you, and you didn't believe us." Touka took another sip of her coffee, unfazed by Nishiki's indignant look.

"That's not all he does. He's sticking his nose into our _business_ like he's the manager!"

"He's just trying to help the café. No big deal."

A solemn looking waitress with long, dark hair and parted locks in the front walked into the employee room, giving a slight bow to Touka. She wore the standard Anteiku waitress uniform and had a slightly confused look on her face, prompting Nishiki to instinctively groan.

"What happened this time Irimi?" asked Nishiki.

"Investigator Takizawa said he forgot his money at home today." Irimi watched in confusion as Nishiki sighed in relief and muttered something about Hide.

"Then just keep it on his tab," said Touka.

"No need. Mr. Nagachika made it complimentary."

"Are you hearing this Touka?" Nishiki stood up in outrage, staring at the apathetic waitress.

"Hide's still part of the business, even if he's new. If he wants to give free meal-"

Touka's previously-uncaring face turned dark and she stood up in her own anger, slamming her coffee cup on the table in front of her and spilling drops all over the floor.

"WHAT? Who gave him the right to do that?! No, this can't go on."

* * *

Three impatient knocks sounded on the wooden door of Hide's room, causing Hide to put down his book and utter a "Come in!" An annoyed Touka strode inside the room, inviting herself to sit down on the bed and glare at Hide.

"Nagachika, you've been here for a while. There's something I've always wanted to tell you, but I don't know if it's-"

"Go ahead manager. You're the manager, after all."

" _You still know I'm the manager?_ "

"I wanted to say that you've been really-" Touka changed her tone when she saw Hide's anxious face immediately after she started. "...helpful to the business. Are you used to the 20th ward yet?"

"Pretty much."

"Then you can live here for an extra day or two. Don't worry about the cost. You can come back whenever you like."

"Um...Touka. Why does it sound like you're trying to kick me out?" asked Hide.

"No, you grew up in the 20th ward. We wouldn't do that to a previous regular. But tell me when you're going to leave."

"Don't worry manager. I don't plan on leaving at all."

"What? Then I....I'm so happy...." she forced out, putting on a strained smile. "You can stay all you want, but from now on, don't worry about the business."

"I know that you don't want me to be stressed out. Don't worry about it! We're like a family here, so I'll definitely help out as much as I want."

"You...okay, if you want to do that you go ahead. But in the future, when you're dealing with some people, like that Investigator Takizawa from the 20th ward, we can't-"

"We definitely can't upset them!" finished Hide.

"W-"

"We're a restaurant. Who cares who they work for? It's not like we can risk our business just because we don't like the customers."

"Hide, you-"

"Yes? Do you...have any other orders?"

"You know what? Do whatever you want. I'm going to check on Mr. Yoshimura." Touka gritted her teeth and left the room without looking back, not noticing a laughing Hide.

* * *

"The second I told him, his entire face turned red. I never even saw him that angry before. He immediately told me to call Hide over to his room and probably yelled at him all night," recounted Touka, sharing a snicker with Nishiki as they wiped the tables.

"Nishiki, Touka."

Yoshimura walked into the dining area as he was led by the arm by Hide, much to the two's amusement.

Hide looked more tired than usual, and a signs of a thin layer of eye bags began to form.

"Manager!" they greeted.

"Since you're all here, I want to tell you something important," said Yoshimura, sitting down by a table,

"Yes sir?"

"It's about Nagachika. I heard that he's been messing up our business and making his own rules ever since he got here. No respect for authority, no consideration for the staff, and always pretending that he's in charge."

Touka and Nishiki eagerly nodded their assent, ignoring Hide's presence.

"This time I'll make the executive decision. From now on, Hideyoshi Nagachika will work as the Head Waiter of Anteiku!

"Yes si-"

"What? How can you let him be the Head Waiter?" burst out Touka.

"What's wrong with the Head Waiter? Back in my days at working for V, I-"

"Manager, why are you talking about V again? I mean, how can you let _him_ be the Head Waiter?" 

"Then...we can make him the Head Manager?"

"WHAT?"

* * *

"I called you two here because I wanted to hear your suggestions for our business," started Hide.

He led the two to a round table with couches and chairs surrounding it on the second floor, gesturing for them to pick their seats before sitting down.

"Actually, I'd like to hear what _brilliant_ ideas you have for us," shot back Touka.

Hide immediately began to talk after her statement, surprising her with his almost-practiced speech. "In order for our business to grow again, we'll need regular customers-" 

"No kidding," muttered Nishiki.

"Shut up Nishiki. Hide, continue."

"Have you thought about any ideas for getting regulars?" asked Hide.

"Yes. We decreased the prices and almost went into debt. No new customers came," answered Touka.

"Let's keep decreasing them then."

"Huh?"

"So we actually go into debt?" demanded Nishiki.

"Let me finish. Let's decrease the price of the salads and beverages, but increase the price of our main dishes and coffee."

"No one will be able to afford that then," said Touka.

"Why? Are there no rich people in the 20th ward anymore?"

"There used to be a lot, but ever since the Doves-"

_Ahem._

"-ever since the CCG came, all of them died or ran away. The ones who didn't are almost all in the CCG or surrendered their fortune to the government."

Hide furrowed his eyebrows together, tapping his chin with his finger as he considered her words.

"Why don't we make money off the CCG then?"

"What?"

"You two...don't look too happy about that."

"No, Mr. Yoshimura gave all the power to you. You do whatever you want." Touka gave a doubtful look at the suddenly-determined blond in front of him.

"Then you two listen up and listen closely. Don't open tomorrow. We're going to do a full renovation and create a new reservation area for important customers. I'll also teach you how to make good coffee.”

* * *

At 12:00, the construction finally finished. Anteiku had a fresh coat of paint applied to all surfaces, along with new glass tables and wooden chairs that adorned the dining area. The restaurant's luster was finally restored, and even Touka Kirishima couldn't help but marvel at how new her surroundings looked. She held a freshly brewed cup of coffee in her hands that gave a delicious aroma as she wandered around.

"Not bad Nagachika. Not bad at all. You didn't even spend too much," said Touka.

"You know what they say: People who spend less and get more are the really skilled ones!" boasted Hide.

"Only problem is that our meat suppliers are all unwilling to give us any meat. We can't be seen hunting by anyone, and because of declining death rates it's getting harder to feed the ghouls. The CCG's supply is barely enough to last for a single day so we hired deliverers from the other wards. Who knows where they all went," nonchalantly revealed Touka.

Her lips twitched upwards when Hide's worry began to show.

"But...what are we gonna do? Why didn't you tell me earlier? We're opening _tomorrow_! Oh no..."

"Head Waiter Nagachika! I'm back with your groceries," hollered Koma.

He carried a large bag of food and set it down on the table, allowing Hide to take a look.

"I have to go prepare the food. I'll need your intelligence to help solve the meat problem." Hide gave a slight bow in Touka's direction and went into the kitchen with Koma.

"Even you need help from me at times," murmured Touka, finishing her cup. "You do make a good coffee though."

 _Ding_ _!_

A young man with blue eyes and long, blue messy hair pushed a large cart of meat packages into Anteiku, barely able to fit it through even the expanded front entrance. He has the image of a rebellious imagine and wore a hooded, long-sleeved back leather jacket with black pants and knee-high black boots. Touka looked up from the coffee machine, eyes widening at the unexpected "present." She ran forward to the cart of meat, allowing her nostrils to be filled with the scent of fresh human meat without noticing the man.

"This meat is very fresh. It'll be enough for at least a month... Irimi! Koma! You two help take these packages into the basement!"

"Hey hey hey! What are you trying to do? What do you mean?" asked the deliverer.

"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot about you. You're-"

"Manager, you called us?" asked Koma, running forward with Irimi.

"Take these packages to the basement."

"Woah woah woah! Are you trying to steal from me?"

"Steal? You're selling it right? I'm buying it from you. You two, go take them down," ordered Touka.

"I bet I'll carry down more packages." Koma quickly took a stack and ran down before Irimi could even get a chance to realize the challenge.

"You're on!"

She also took another stack and left the astounded deliverer with her manager.

"You-"

"Don't panic sir. Let's just talk about this in the reserved dining area. Come on."

Touka led him into the reserved dining area without even observing his face.

"NISHIKI! Tell Hide to get over here!"

"I'll buy the packages for-"

Touka's eyes widened when she finally looked at him, rapidly blinking right after. She rubbed them once, then twice. The wall prevented her from backing up any further in her shock and finally forced her to realize that her eyes were telling the truth.

"Miss me?" asked Ayato.

She nearly collapsed where she was standing, only managing to remain standing because of Hide's expected arrival.

"Manager, you called me?"

* * *

"Nice work. You actually managed to do it. From now on, I'll be supplying your restaurant with human meat deliveries whenever I can," reluctantly stated Ayato.

"Thanks to Aogiri Tree, we might actually have a chance at recovering our business. What about you Kirishima? Not gonna talk to Touka?"

"Nagachika, if you say one more word about Touka I'll-"

Footsteps sounded from behind the door and both of them quickly changed their tone, ignoring their previous conversation.

"That's ridiculous!" loudly shouted Hide.

"Is it? Then I just won't deliver anything to you anymore!"

"See if I care!"

Ayato prepared to storm out, halted by Touka's determined figure and outstretched arms.

"Ayato, don't listen to him. He's new and young and really short tempered. He doesn't even respect us. I'll buy your delivery, and you can be our only deliverer in Anteiku from now on," soothed Touka, shooting Hide a death glare.

"But-"

" _I_ am the manager here, not you."

* * *

Ding!

The door creaked open to reveal a surprised Kishou Arima, who was clearly not used to the newfound popularity of the café. Three exiting customers nodded their hellos to him and quickly scurried off, but he paid them no attention in favor of marvelling at the modern look of the café. The dining area was nearly completely filled with CCG ghoul investigators and bureau investigators, and all five waiters were bustling across the restaurant with trays of food.

"Mr. Nishio, I'll just have the regular for today. Deliver it to me in the reservation area," said Kishou.

"Yes sir." Nishiki masked his disgust with a stoic face and turned around to hide it.

Hide suddenly interrupted his route to the kitchen and stood in front of him with a questioning gaze.

"Wait Nishiki. Who's that?"

"The CCG's _Reaper_. Special Class Investigator Kishou Arima. Eats human food but does inhumane things all the time," scowled Nishiki, walking to his destination.

Hide eagerly bowed to the guest and greeted him with a "Investigator Arima! It's a huge pleasure for me to finally meet you!"

"Have I seen you before?"

"Me? I'm Hideyoshi Nagachika!"

"Hideyoshi, is it?" asked Kishou.

"Yes sir!"

"Never heard of you."

"Oh, really? It's my fault for not telling you. I'm the Senior Manager of Anteiku-"

"That is certainly a lie. The Senior Manager of Anteiku is Mr. Yoshimura Kuzen. My godfather," interrupted Kishou.

"I'm the Senior Manager of Anteiku's protégé! I learned his famous coffee brewing technique as a child before I left the ward, and now I'm working here again."

"Protégé? I see. Nice to meet you." Kishou raised his hand and offered a handshake, which Hide quickly took.

"The pleasure's all mine! I've wanted to say hi to you for a while now, but you know how busy opening day is. In fact...Nishiki, get the coffee machine out! I'll treat Investigator Arima to my personally made coffee! Also, leave his bill on me. I'll pay."

"No, we can't do that. Mr. Nishio, we'll split the bill."

* * *

Kishou comfortably sat in an air conditioned reservation room on a cushioned chair as he took a sip of the coffee. He shot Hide an approving smile after tasting the beverage, slowly remembering the waiter from his past. Hide was eagerly sitting opposite to him, cheerfully beaming as he waited for the investigator to begin talking.

"I can tell that you learned from Mr. Yoshimura. You said you want to get Chairman Washuu to dine here? That's a good idea for your business, but I won't be able to do it."

"Oh, that's fine. Don't worry about it, really. If you can't convince him to come over, that's completely fine. You come whenever you want, and I'll brew you my own coffee each time," assured Hide.

"Hold on. Chairman Washuu isn't in the 20th ward at the present moment, but Director Kaiko is. If I can convince Kijima to give me an audience with him, he might dine here."

"So what does Investigator Kijima like?"

"Money."

"Then..." Hide produced a wad of cash from his pocket and extended it to Kishou.

"No, you don't need to do that. You keep it for your business."

* * *

A figure sat on an expensively made chair by a large wooden desk filled with mounts of paperwork, with a name tag on it that read "Director Kaiko." Kishou and Kijima were standing opposite to him, in front of the desk. The three were in a large office with black walls and floors, adorned with paintings of a locked birdcage throughout the walls.

Kaiko was a mysterious looking figure clad in an all black uniform, along with black gloves. He was bald, had black lips, and had eyes that were completely white, seeming to completely lack irises, although he could see perfectly fine.

"The quality of the food is very good, sir. The employees are very careful about sanitation, and the restaurant is also very clean," assured Kishou.

"I suppose we could dine there when there's free time," said Kaiko.

He stood up from his desk and walked over to his coat rack, donning on his signature black duster coat and top hat.

"And...when is that, director?" asked Kijima.

"There's no rush. We will go there for lunch today."

"Yes sir!"

* * *

Kaiko stood up from his table, leaving several dirty plates and silverware behind on the table. A few dollar bills laid next to his former meal, combined with a generous tip.

"Your food was very well made, and your restaurant is very clean," said Kaiko.

"Thank you sir!"

"We will never dine here again." Kaiko shot the waiter a cruel smile before exiting with Kishou.

Hide barely managed to stumble to the doorway and block Kijima's way, giving him a pleading smile.

"Yes?" asked Kijima.

"Do you know why Director Kaiko didn't like the meal?"

"Hmm...no idea." The investigator rubbed his fingertips together and grinned evilly.

"Don't have no idea sir. I won't ask you for nothing."

"Then...we could strike a deal if you want. One question costs 150 yen," offered Kijima.

"Isn't that a bit expensive?"

"Yes, I suppose it is. Next question?"

"It's starting already?"

"Of course it is. Haven't you studied business before? Next question."

"But- I mean, why didn't Director Kaiko like the restaurant?"

"Nagachika, can't you understand? He is a very elderly man who is peculiar about etiquette and manners. He isn't used to your modern attire, modern slang, or modern setting. He prefers the traditional culture, not whatever this is supposed to be," scolded Kijima.

"Ohhhh I get it!"

* * *

"I thoroughly enjoyed this meal. Thank you for your generosity," commended Kaiko, dabbing his mouth with his handkerchief and leaving the restaurant.

Hide was covered head to toe in a traditional Japanese outfit, cheerfully bowing as the director left the restaurant.

"Investigator Kijima? How did Kaiko think of this?"

"He was very pleased and will be back to dine very soon. But...the money...?" Kijima put his fingers together again and sat down on a nearby chair.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Director Kaiko already paid."

"Nagachika. Are you really stupid or are you pretending that you aren't? Did I do this for nothing?" demanded Kijima.

"No sir. Here, take this leftover bag of biscuits." Hide tossed a few desserts into a plastic container and wrapped it with a bag before handing it to the investigator.

"So I did this just for a bag of treats?"

"Why the rush? That's the bag of desserts that Director Kaiko ordered."

"So _this_ isn't even-"

"Sir, don't worry about it. Here's a small token of our appreciation," said Hide, producing another wad of bills and giving it to Kijima.

Kijima immediately took the bag and walked out the door.

"Wait! Investigator?"

"What a large token... You're safe for now!"

* * *

"Kaiko's been coming to the café almost every day. He really loves our food," reported Hide.

They were both in the poorly-lit basement of Anteiku, using unwrapping meat deliveries as their cover.

"Okay, that will be helpful to your mission. Chairman Tsuneyoshi Washuu will be coming to the 20th ward this afternoon again to visit the Bureau Chief, or so he claims. We strongly believe that he's here for something else, and your mission is to find out what it is. I'll have to rent a disgusting room tonight..."

"If you want to rent a room, you'll need money!" Hide quickly raised his voice when he noticed Koma carrying another stack of meat packages downstairs.

"But I didn't bring anything on me today."

"That's okay. We'll just take it from the cost of your delivery."

"Mr. Nagachika? Investigator Kijima wants to talk to you," said Koma.

Hide quickly rushed back up to the first floor and left the two alone.

"Geez, your head waiter's even worse than your manager at haggling," muttered Ayato.

* * *

"I have good news for you. You will be closing early tonight-"

"Good news?!"

"Nagachika, I'm not done. You will be closing early tonight because Director Kaiko will be dining with Chairman Washuu. Do you know who that is?" asked Kijima.

"Does...it have to do with washrooms?" obliviously answered Hide.

"Wash- No! He's the highest authority in the Commission of Counter Ghoul."

* * *

A senior man with long white hair and a large white beard sat in a modern wheelchair in the reservation area, clinking his cup of coffee with Kaiko's.

"Chairman Washuu, Director Kaiko." Kishou appeared from behind the large shoji in the dining room and gave a bow at his two superiors at the table.

"Investigator...who are you again?" wondered Tsuneyoshi, turning his wheelchair to face his son.

"Father, I'm Special Class Kishou Arima."

"You're a special class? Then you should have no problem with leading the way through the 24th ward." Tsuneyoshi rolled forward and patted Kishou on the shoulder.

"Leading the way?"

"As a tour guide."

"Tour guide? Yoshitoki, what did you tell our father?"

Kishou turned to face his equally confused brother standing to the right of their father.

"I didn't say anything. Father, he's not a tour guide. He's your-"

"Director Kaiko, you incompetent fool! Why have you not provided me with a tour guide yet? The CCG will not wait on you!" reprimanded Tsuneyoshi.

"I..."

Kaiko bowed his head in an apology, then slowly fixated his gaze on the uncomfortable Kishou.

"Director Kaiko, please don't look at me like that. I'm not a tour-"

"Get out!" ordered Tsuneyoshi.

* * *

Kijima made his way over to Kishou's table, where he was slowly downing a cup of coffee.

"Did you tell them about my concerns?" asked Kishou, not even turning around as he walked.

"I didn't manage to say anything. If I said something wrong in front of Chairman Washuu...well I wouldn't dare to think-"

"I paid for your services already, Kijima."

"And I found out what they meant. They are going to organize a raid in the 24th ward and require someone who is familiar with the area to lead the way."

"The 24th ward? I have warned the Bureau Chief against sending anyone there without proper scouting-"

"That's the Bureau Chief. We are talking about the _Chairman_ of the CCG. Nagachika! Do you know the 24th ward?" demanded Kijima.

"The 24th ward is...what's that?" Hide had a confused look on his face as he refilled Kishou's coffee again.

"You're not thinking properly. Not you Nagachika. I'm talking to Kijima. Kijima, why would you ask an outsider about the 24th ward? I know several people working under the Bureau Chief who are more familiar with the area than I am."

"I-"

"I know what you are going to ask, but you can't afford the services," stated Kishou.

"Really?"

Kijima drew the large wad of cash gifted to him by Hide prior to the situation and reluctantly handed it to Kishou.

"I'll seek out the Bureau Chief right away," said Kishou.

"The Chairman and Director Kaiko will be back tomorrow night for dinner as well!" reminded Kijima.

He hurriedly ran after Kishou, who was already several metres away from the restaurant.

"Investigator Arima! Hold on!"

* * *

"If he's just here for a short visit, why would he return for a meal tomorrow?" asked Ayato.

He was seated on his bed and dressed in a more casual attire. His jacket laid in a heap on his packed backpack, looking as if he was already preparing to leave.

"And why would they need a guide for the 24th ward?" wondered Hide.

"Looks like the visit was a cover up. They want to attack our forces in the 24th ward. I'll go back right now." Ayato threw on his leather jacket backpack, quickly running to the door and being stopped by a surprised Touka.

"What are you doing? What happened?" asked Touka.

"Oh, that? Something came up at home," said Ayato.

"Wait. What happened?"

"Nothing big. I just forgot to lock the door."

"WHAT? BUT-"

"Chill out Touka. Mom's not living with me, and there's nothing important inside."

"What about the pictures-"

"Nothing important."

Touka's concerned look was replaced with a dark one, and even Ayato had to retreat outside the café in fear of her wrath.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!"

The front door closed, the lock turned, and Touka slipped the metal key back into her pocket.

"Manager, why didn't you ask him for the rent?"

"I didn't give him the money for his delivery either."

* * *

Kaiko sat at the head of a moderately-sized table in the reservation area, proudly admiring the decorations set in front of him. A wine glass and chopsticks were placed by each seat, one top of the white cloth covering the wooden surface. Kaiko inhaled the scent of the flower placed in the middle as a decoration, allowing a smile to grace his ever serious face. To his left, Shiki Kijima stood grinning and feeling for his pocket, which had a rectangular shape bulging out. To his right, Kishou Arima and Nimura Furuta were seated down by the table and patiently waiting for their food. They were all dressed in a suit and tie, and their coats hung on a rack that was standing by the door.

"I'm sure that the Chairman would have exterminated all the ghouls in the area by now." Kaiko's smile dangerously widened as he imagined Aogiri Tree being destroyed.

The door slid open and broke the cheerful atmosphere of the room. A sour faced Tsuneyoshi Washuu stood to his full height, distinctively standing without his wheelchair. He firmly held a long katana sheath in his right hand and glared at the four guests in front of him. Yoshitoki Washuu trailed in after and shot Furuta and Kishou a warning look, causing them to quickly stand up and bow to the Chairman with Kaiko.

"Chairman!"

"Useless!"

Tsuneyoshi reached forward and struck Kaiko across the face.

"Yes sir!"

The sound of banging, glass shattering, and tables falling filled the main floor of Anteiku. Touka nervously looked up from her cash register at the closed sliding door being guarded by an investigator, wincing every time she heard something break.

_Smack!_

"Good for nothing!"

"Yes sir!"

"What's going on?" asked Touka.

She struggled to hear the sounds coming from the room and turned to Hide, who looked equally confused.

"They...might be celebrating?" guessed Hide.

_Smack!_

"Embarrassment!"

"Yes sir!"


End file.
